Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 13

Devanagari script

तया हतः सहस्राक्षो विसंज्ञो रुधिरप्लुतः । ध्वजयष्टिं समाश्रित्य संनिविष्टो रथोपरि

Transliteration

tayā hataḥ sahasrākṣo visaṃjño rudhiraplutaḥ | dhvajayaṣṭiṃ samāśritya saṃniviṣṭo rathopari

Translation

Von ihr getroffen, sank Sahasrākṣa (Indra) bewusstlos nieder, vom Blut überströmt; an den Fahnenmast gelehnt blieb er zusammengesunken auf seinem Wagen.

Word by Word

• तया: by that (weapon)
• तया: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘गदा’ इत्यस्य निर्देशः (by that [mace])

• हतः: struck, slain
• हतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन् (धातु) → हत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• सहस्राक्षः: the thousand-eyed one (Indra)
• सहस्राक्षः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सहस्र + अक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहिसमास; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• विसंज्ञः: unconscious
• विसंज्ञः: Karta (Subject qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + संज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• रुधिरप्लुतः: bathed in blood
• रुधिरप्लुतः: Karta (Subject qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रुधिर + प्लुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (‘रुधिरेण प्लुतः’); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• ध्वजयष्टिम्: flagstaff
• ध्वजयष्टिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ध्वज + यष्टि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (‘ध्वजस्य यष्टिः’); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• समाश्रित्य: having leaned on
• समाश्रित्य: Purvakala-kriya (Prior action/पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + आ + श्रि (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund); धातु: श्रि—आश्रये (having taken refuge/leaned on)

• संनिविष्टः: was seated/settled
• संनिविष्टः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + नि + विश् (धातु) → संनिविष्ट (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• रथोपरी: upon the chariot
• रथोपरी: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: रथ + उपरि (अव्यय)
• Form: उपरि (अव्यय, स्थानवाचक); रथ-शब्देन सह संधि: रथ + उपरि → रथोपरी

Speaker

Narrator (contextual Purāṇic narrator within Nāgarakhaṇḍa Tīrthamāhātmya; exact speaker not explicit in snippet)

Visual Art Cues

Scene: Indra lies slumped on his chariot, unconscious and bloodied, leaning against the tall flagstaff; attendants look alarmed as the battlefield still churns.

Characters & Entities

• Sahasrākṣa (Indra)
• Chariot
• Flagstaff (Dhvaja-yaṣṭi)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Even celestial power can be humbled; adversity becomes the turning point that summons deeper divine aid and dharmic resolution.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

Not stated in this verse; it is part of the narrative lead-in within the Mahātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

None.